Romour Has It
by mioneshipper
Summary: A quiet night in Hogwarts is disturbed by the drama of of one couple. Hermione and Remus argue but when all is fixed, the night brings more ruin than thought possible. One-Shot.


"Hermione!"

Remus shouted through the dark halls of Hogwarts, not caring if he were to get caught or wake anyone. He ran down the corridor, after the footsteps storming off into the night. Hermione ran, tears streaming down her face, through the staircases, to the main entrance and swiftly pushed her way into the Great Hall. The windows sucked in the dark, grey morning light like a vacuum and the dim light shadowed the hall. Remus followed in not long after and found her, her back turned to him, her shoulders shaking in the middle of the hall.

"Hermione, what you – "

"Please don't." She sobbed, never turning to face him.

"Hermione, you walked in at the wrong time. What you saw wasn't what you think."

Hermione swivelled and stared him blank in the face through her raw eyes.

"So, when I walk in on you and Tonks kissing, that's not what it looks like? It was just a friendly kiss was it Remus?" her eyes glared in the night, testing him.

"No Hermione, please." His voice begged and she made no protest for him to continue.

"Tonks came to me and expressed, certain feelings for me. I was trying to tell her that it couldn't be and that I had no feelings for her without letting slip about our relationship, but she leant forward and kissed me. I'm so sorry but in that moment you walked in. I don't know what else to say." There was a moment pause as Hermione eyed him and Remus waited.

"I love you." He whispered, sighing heavily. Hermione's eyes welled and he moved forward and embraced her in his arms. She felt tense beneath him.

"I love you." he whispered again, stroking her back.

"I love you too." Hermione looked into Remus' eyes and he smiled, his comforting bright smile. Hermione relaxed, leaning up and kissing him, caressing his cheek.

The couple pulled apart from their kiss and looked into each other's eyes. Suddenly Remus was gently pushing Hermione against a table and she was pulling him closer. Moving over the bench, Remus lifted Hermione and placed her onto the table. She opened her legs and let him move between them. When both lovers pulled away from their lips, panting and sighing, Hermione held the back of his neck and ran a hand down his chest.

"I trust you." She sniffed, kissing his chest.

"Good." Remus sighed, planting a long kiss on her forehead.

They held each other like this for some time before Remus took Hermione's hand.

"Come on, let's get to bed."

A body outside the Great Hall saw the two figures that had been in a close embrace move towards the doors and he moved away, hiding behind a knight of armour. The couple, who he could now see clearly holding hands, made their way up the staircase and he let out a long, quiet breath of shock.

Hermione woke the next morning to an empty bed and an also equally empty dorm. Checking the time Hermione realised she had missed breakfast and it was nearly time for the first class. Quickly rising, Hermione dressed and gathered her stuff together. Hermione rushed through the empty Griffindor common room and into the corridor outside. Passing a duo of Hufflepuff girls, Hermione smiled and due to her rushing only barely noticed their stares. Running past another gathered group on her way to the dungeons, Hermione noticed a small girl with long black hair was intently spilling something to the others.

"Of all people in the school you wouldn't think -!" The girl stopped, coughing as Hermione rounded the corner. Running into the potions classroom Hermione quickly stepped over to a desk.

"Professor Snape, sir, I'm so sorry! Last night I wasn't feeling well and – " Hermione's excuse was cut short at the deadly silence surrounding her. The entire class' eyes were glued to her and even Professor Snape said nothing for a moment.

"Ms. Granger, I advise you to make your way to the principle's office, _immediately_."

Like she had run straight into a nightmarish dream Hermione said nothing to question Snape, collected her books which she had placed on the table and scattered from the classroom. Speeding past the group, now watching her intently, outside the classroom Hermione ran full belt through the school and to the DADA classroom. Only to find it empty Hermione dropped her books and ran, leaving them sprawled on the classroom floor.

Panting and spluttering Hermione ran up to the gargoyle that Dumbledore's office was protected by and coughed " Sssherbert Lehhhmon!"

The gargoyle ached and creaked and Hermione stepped onto the staircase that had revealed itself. Taking a deep breath Hermione held the wall for support, a whole manner of things beating through her brain. When the office door was only a step away Hermione half-froze and hoped that what she thought was not true.

"Come in." The heavy voice of Dumbledore sounded through the wooden door and Hermione entered. Almost never wrong, Hermione's logical mind was, unfortunately correct. A fire blazed in the office and Dumbledore was pacing, slowly before the old headmasters of Hogwarts. Standing with his back to the door and staring into the depths of the crackling fire, was Remus.

"Sir." Hermione acknowledged Dumbledore, taking a step forwards and waiting intently.

"Ms. Granger." Dumbledore turned from his pacing to address her, and pointed to the seat opposite his, at his desk. Hermione could see in his blue, genius eyes that he had not finished his intense thinking but once she had sat, he too sat solemnly down. He began with a grave sigh.

"There is nothing I hate more, Ms. Granger than the infectious growth of rumour." His brilliant eyes, magnified by the glow of the fire, flickered to Remus who was unmoving by the flames. He began again, his voice soft.

"But it has come to my attention that, overnight, a rumour of a degree of seriousness, has spread."

A lump had now grown in Hermione's chest and her heartbeat was pounding through her skin.

"This rumour, as I hear it, states that you and Professor Lupin are in a relationship."

The clock on the wall clicked away several seconds and Dumbledore leant forward, his glasses sliding down to the crook in his nose.

"Is this true?"

Hermione swallowed, trying to allow herself to speak. When she felt she had composed herself, she looked deep into the eyes of the headmaster.

"Yes."

Although Remus still failed to budge, Hermione felt that, in the corner of her eye, the fire had begun to burn brighter and larger.

Dumbledore leant back into his chair and rubbed his eyes beneath his half-moon glasses. Hermione sat, stunned to the chair and waited on bated breath. A painful minute passed in which nothing was said but Dumbledore finally collected himself and became extremely formal.

"It pains me to do this Ms. Granger, for many reasons. But under the circumstances, with the entire school knowing of this, the staff included, I only have one choice. As the brightest student I have known to walk these walls for many years, it is with a heavy heart that I have been ordered to arrange your immediate expulsion."

Like an anchor thrown into the sea, Dumbledore's words sank slowly into Hermione, gliding down, down, down until finally they hit the sea floor with a thud. It was only now that Remus moved, staring desperately at Dumbledore.

"You can't surely." He spluttered, staring at the older man in disbelief.

"She's the brightest girl in the school, the brightest woman I've ever met!" Remus' voice rose to a high pitch.

"It also due to these extremely unfortunate circumstances that Remus has also lost his place here at Hogwarts." Dumbledore stated, almost hanging his head.

Hermione turned to face Remus, a sadness and apology in her eyes.

"I wish you both the best of luck, you must know I truly wish I could do more than my useless effort in this situation. But the Ministry has been anything but understanding."

Hermione nodded at the headmaster.

"Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore smiled half-heartedly and his eyes twinkled with solemnity.

"Is there really nothing more you can do?" Remus stepped forward, his hand resting on Hermione's chair.

"I am afraid not." Dumbledore whispered, looking in to the man's eyes.

Remus nodded down- trodden.

"Come on Hermione." Taking her hand, Remus led Hermione out of the office and the two separated to their quarters, Hermione to her dorm to pack her belongings and he to do the same in the DADA room and his living space.

**A week later.**

Remus rolled from Hermione's naked body, panting and relieved, onto the other side of the bed. Lying on his side, Remus stroked her face and lined her jawbone with his thumb. Hermione closed her eyes to his affection and rubbed his chest. A tear slid from Hermione's cheek and he wiped it away softly, pulling her closer to him. Wrapping an arm under his, Hermione caressed him. A pile of schoolbooks lay stacked, some open, on the desk next to the open window. The books that Hermione still read with diligence, and then with little yet determined enthusiasm, tested herself with. Remus spent his days worrying, inwardly panicking about what little prosperity and hope there was for his future and for hers. Outcasts and the weekly news, the couple lived in dark seclusion from the rest of the world, in a small unkempt flat in London. Between all these already tormenting anxieties the couple were drawing farther apart. Feeling hopeless and afraid the couple didn't comfort each other's anxiousness but boxed it away inside themselves until all they could do was make love or sleep. Briefly tonight, they talked of the future and hoped it would be together. He kissed her heavily on the lips and held her tight to him. This was all they could manage in their now up-turned lives.


End file.
